Quick Easy Fun...

Today was a beautiful day to visit Grant's Farm. Here are the people pics we took... we got some great animal shots today... probably because the weather was so nice. I may post animal pics later... for now here are Clausen People!

Applesolutely!

Okay... so today's plan includes making and canning apple sauce and apple butter. Right after church and Grant's Farm! Never mind that Chris gets to cut the grass too! oooh and football....

Yesterday we took the kids to Forest Park for Arthur's picnic in the park. A PBS sponsored event that brings out people in droves to pick up free stuff. Free stuff means face painting and balloon animals (admittedly that's fun, but not if you have to wait in line for over an hour for a "dinosaur" that is nothing more than the standard dog with a squiggly mouth drawn on or a horse that is a wienie dog with a mane drawn on by a black sharpie!) ... but I digress... free stuff also means that a huge dental insurance company gives out cheapie toothbrushes and squishy squeeze teeth with their name printed on them... or plastic hard hats with a company logo (okay... these were fun too) or a bagillion bookmarks, cool stickers and pieces of paper with local programming printed on them. FREE. sigh. (we did like the plastic finger puppets and little plastic horses! they made it worth the waits for the kiddos) Caitlyn mostly waited in the free stuff lines and was thrilled to just get stuff. Kids are cool!

There was the opportunity to stand in line for over an hour (in your choice of many lines) to hug or shake hands with your favorite PBS character (read: really large, so large it is scary for small children, very cheaply costumed as your favorite character teen) maybe even pose for a two second photo taken by your parent. Matthan preferred to peek at them from the front of the tent and then move on. He saw Elmo and Curious George among others...

I mean... that is scary to any little kid.
"Ruff Ruffman" from Fetch... kinda yuk.

Mr. McFeelywas there from Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood... that was cool but how old is that guy? He was having fun on stage with Purple Panda. (whom Matthan thought looked big and scary and we were half a soccer field away!) Scary Delivery! oh yeah... why was Purple Panda from another planet? wierd.

Finally you could stand in another of your choice of lines for your turn on one of the many free bounce houses... again, we passed on that... Matthan will not bounce on any, won't even climb up... after all his surgeries and casts, can we blame him?! Caitlyn is getting too big to climb on those things (my opinion of course... it just isn't at all young ladylike to bounce around with limbs flailing wildly, shirt flying up just basically looking like a crazy person!)

Oh yes... let's not forget the food lines, which we, of course, skipped because who had two million dollars for an overcooked hot dog and crumpledly bag of chippies?! Not us... we frugally packed our waters and healthy food and ate it in the car while driving about trying to find the best place to park... really driving about trying to get even a close spot to park. We parked in front of the muny and walked around and up behind it to the main fields across the way... it was a nice day for a good walk in the park!

APPLES TO APPLES

About a Bushel and a half of FREE apples from a neighbor!
That's getting your food within the 100 foot challenge... it is a 19 Gallon bucket!

Westley sees the apples ...

Westley GETS the apples!

Just hanging around!

Westley trying to eat a mason jar...

Caitlyn and I went this morning and picked apples off our neighbors tree. His words were "You are welcome to as many apples as you can pick ... and there are no pesticides, so they are organic!" ... it was very neighborly of him!

So we picked and picked and picked and still left so many on the tree too. These have got to be the sweetest tastiest little apples I have ever had. I thought they were some type of golden delicious? but they are more flavorful! They have a golden greenish color and some have a little bitty bit of "blush" on them.... though the main color is apple green with green spots. They are wonderfully crisp and sweet. Did I mention they are sweet? really! I am excited to make apple sauce and then ... drum roll please... Apple Butter YUM YUM YUM!

Mosaic Art Festival

It all began with an apple that Westley refused to let go of.

Here we all are smiling for Dad.

Okay... maybe we are all cutting up for Dad.

What? me cut up?!

No, he really wouldn't let go of the apple.
He eventually stopped crying once I took it away.

Really... the art festival didn't have much to do with the photos, except that is where we were when we took them. We had just finished our sack lunch (let's hear it for frugal!) and were on our way up to main street to peruse the displays of art. The kids had fun at the make your own tent too! Next year we really have to make it in time for the kids to do the shopping for art tent. They have a tent that the kids go into by themselves and can purchase a work of local art for $5. It would be really cool for Matthan, who seems to have a tendency toward metal sculpture and more folk art paintings. Caitlyn leans toward art glass, photographic art and jewelry, jewelry jewelry. Ironic since she cannot really wear any of it due to her severe metal allergy. I think it is cool to see the kids totally different preferences for art. Matthan tells me all the time he is going to be an artist like me.

So, we had a blast and didn't even spend a cent. Now that's a frugally fun Saturday we all enjoyed.

HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY DANDY!

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY
BIRTHDAY DANDY!

Dandy holding Westley

Dandy holding Westley

Happy 70th birthday Daddy-O! We all hope you have a Fabulous birthday... The kids thought the habitat for humanity help day was the funnest part... but I'm betting that the lunch with Sister Kathy and dinner at the Memphis BBQ is pretty fantastic too! We sure love you... sorry we couldn't spend your birthday celebrating with you! Love, Paige, Chris, Caitlyn, Matthan and Westley!

Just a fun fact footnote: If Methuselah was 969 before he died... that gives you 899 to go!
Mr. Crusher: Engage!

Really...

MmmmmmWhat??

Okay... I really am trying to pull up and stand with this chair

This is mostly about how much one little baby can move away from one area and into another in the split second you look away.

But I also have to wonder if the metal is cool on his gums while he is sucking or chewing on it.

!!!! HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY GRANDPA !!!!

The Clausen Men (Westley is there too, just across the table!

We hope you have a FABULOUS Birthday!

WOW Dad 60 Years!

Westley says: Da da da huh heh da (really, it sounds just like that!)

Matthan says: Tell me what kind of present you got, one of the presents. Happy Birthday Grandpa and I love you so much and I am going to give the other grandpa some earrings you know the girl... (he means Grandma Clausen)

Caitlyn says: I love you Grandpa Happy Birthday! I love you. I wish we were there!

Paige says: Methuselah was 909 years older than you are now... you have a long way to go!

Chris says: Don't ask how old that makes me! :)

Happy Birthday Dad! Happy Birthday Grandpa! All our Love, the Saint Peters Clausen Clan!

YUK YIK YUK YIK

Rarely do I need to call for rescuing. Really I can handle most stuff. Okay, Yes, if there is a spider or other gross insect I do call for Chris to come and kill it or at least remove it from the general vicinity of anywhere within the house. I fully support the husband handling that sort of thing. Although this wet summer we have been having has necessitated me killing three (yes three) gi-normous (it is too a word!) spiders that were building the Taj Mahal of all webs just outside my home (individual locations I might add) I mean, these suckers were one inch in body, not to mention leg length... wisely I used wasp spray. At least I could stand 10 feet away and get the job done. They were huge and infringing upon the house every time. Every time when Chris was away... Well, enough about them...

(If you don't have an iron stomach... don't read the rest of this post!)

Tonight while Chris and Caity were at GHOP... Matthan, Westley and I were sitting on the dining room floor, by the sliding glass door when I see (YES I HAD TO SEE) the latest member of our local hawk family accidently? drop a recently killed rabbit onto our deck.

(Really, if that gets you, don't keep reading....)

EEEWW. But it didn't just hit the deck, it hit the bird perch that is part of my bird feeder and drape across it... entrails hanging, blood dripping. The entire rabbit was there. I mean, this is beyond normal anything. So I calmly? call the neighbors to get male help. No one answers... so I head out there, boys in tow... to knock on their door. Thankfully Alex (their teen son) was home and happily came over and removed the offensive and offending carcass. Now here is the real clincher... the young hawk is perched on their fence... the one that is between the houses... watching his kill draped on my feeder. Then the hawk stayed and watched Alex remove it and even stayed long enough for us to get out cameras and snap pictures of him perched after said offending carcass was tossed into the trash for pickup tomorrow. Wild absolutely wild.

It kind of makes me wonder what the wild varmits are all up to when we aren't around.

Now... I am off to can tomato soup... Nice. It was almost RABBIT SOUP - Thank God I lean more vegetarian!

I should mention that our first year in this house... we spotted what looked like owl poop on the deck rail... after breakfast I went out only to find it was rabbit entrails... and fur, presumably left from a hawk kill. So I guess hawks really do train their young well. But prayerfully not on my deck anymore!

Here it is on the fence

He flew off into the yard toward our porch when he felt threatened by the camera proximity!

Competitive Children!

Caitlyn made a model of an island in Fiji to represent the rainforest ecosystem and the mangrove swamp ecosystem out of household (and outdoor!) items.

Matthan decided he needed to make a model as well... with Playdoh and some of his little figures and rocks. He used a play tree since I would not let him put any real plants on his! Very creative and a bit competitive!

CAN CAN

YES I CAN!!

These are my beautiful spaghetti sauce pints!
This represents 1/2 bushel of tomatoes!

This is Westley enjoying some YELLOW Watermelon!

Yes it was yellow flesh watermelon and may I just mention that I like the sweet baby melons way better!

Canning continues...

Peach Butter YUM!

I am really liking this canning thing. The only disappointment is that there isn't MORE full jars when you are done. You really don't realize how much stuff cooks down. sigh.

I read a recipe for DILLY BEANS today on someones blog... ohmygosh... I practically HAVE TO make those! Hee hee.

See all the reasons I really NEED my own garden... all that fresh produce, put up for us to enjoy over the fall & winter months... of course the hubby and kids will have to help with any labor ... I am not in any physical shape to do the really hard stuff... like bend over for extended periods of time. Or run a tiller! I do know Mr. C is up for that one! He is liking this canning thing and the Freedom Garden idea-ly.

Just Peachy!

Matthan loved the peaches this morning!

Westley eating his first peach!

He LOVED it!
He got upset when I took the net thingy to fill with more fruit... but happy once it got back.

Turned these ...
Into these!

Aren't they lovely!

Westley is eating some this morning all smushed with cereal!

Caity ate them too!

HIYA! I took the kiddos peach picking at the local U-Pick farm on Monday. It was the very last day for their encore freestone peaches. It was a lovely morning and we picked 2 pecks of perfect peaches. Which led me to my next step... canning them. I borrowed equipment from sister Dawn and undertook it yesterday. After discovering that the canner doesn't fit on my flattop stove (who knew!) at least not without the threat of cracking it (yah, that's all I need).

I decided to use the pot on the eye on my grill. It took forever for the water to heat and then the first batch of 6 pints ... burst... yup 3 of them burst and made a HUGE mess... so I joyfully (yes, I am serious) cleaned and refilled the canner and went back to work... Finally got the water boiling and when I put in the first one it burst... so I stopped canning and froze the rest of the peaches. BRILLIANT! I do have three lovely jars of canned peaches in my own very creative cinnamon light syrup. It only encourages me to push on... they taste fabulous.

Next fun step... I have a pot of peach butter simmering away in my crockpot for the last 24 hours... I am going to pull them and wait for my next venture... Pressure Canning.

I will post pictures when those are done!

Ministry in the Making

Really, this is it! Please partner with us in prayer as the Clausen Family steps into the new thing that God has given as our path.

Chris will be stepping into our ministry ... it is a ministry of teaching and training up worship leaders ... The beauty of this ministry is that it will be

1. Providing lessons for young and inexperienced musicians, some of whom might not normally have access to such instruction; and 2. Raising up worship leaders who desire this type of in depth, focused training to further develop their gifts.

One of the key elements of this ministry is how it will be supported:

Raised support will be used to subsidize lessons for students. In other words:

Supporters of this ministry will be asked to donate support on a student's behalf.

Each Student needs a minimum of one half hour lesson each week, the cost of which is $20 per lesson.

Would you like to support a student? On a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly basis? Would you like to support more than one student?

All donations will be tax deductible.

Other ways to support this ministry include:

Prayer & Encouragement Prayer & Encouragement
Prayer & Encouragement

We do still need funds to complete startup of the ministry... if you would like to make a tax deductible donation toward our current need of $1200 to complete our 501 C-3 filing please contact us via phone or email.
Yes, we hired professionals to do the hard paperwork (no kidding, you have to almost write a book!) and file with the IRS ($750) ... it just made sense for us to do it right the first time with guaranteed approval.

Watch the blog for a link to our new website ... "David's 4000" or " D4K " as Chris likes to call it!

Worship definitely ON!

A new READER joins the ranks

Matthan officially read his first book TODAY. It was called "The Cat Sat" and he did it all by himself! He was very proud when he repeated that action to Daddy before bedtime. He is doing well in school. Tomorrow marks his first official week in school. Caitlyn has an easy first week and is loving it. Mommy is still trying to get her brain around all this and baby too... but I think we all are headed toward really liking it.

Gardening

I have always enjoyed gardening. Flowers, Fruit, Veggies... you name it. I have also always enjoyed cooking. I have put up apple butter and preserves in years past. The first year Chris and I were married, we dug out a plot in the backyard of our first house and planted lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and green beans. The rabbits got most of it... then Matthan came along and we moved... I haven't really done anything like it since.

I have kept a small plant of tomatoes from year to year and a few simple herbs. This year I added different herbs and two tomato plants on the deck but it is not the same when you keep all your plantings there and not in the yard. Yes, my flowers and plants are fabulous... but I desire to do more... to change our veggie intake to utilize the very local! I had thoughts of putting up "organic" baby food for Westley... of course it seems he is headed straight from rice cereal to table food! He really does not care for the jarred stuff (except peas!)... he only wants what we are having. He ate bean dip two nights ago and munched another plum this morning at breakfast!

I took the kids (dragging Tracie and her kids too) out to the local park and picked mulberries in June. That really got me started toward craving my own preserves. Then Chris and I took the kids to a local pick it farm and picked blackberries a few weeks ago... fabulous fruit and made some awesome cobblers. Not really enough fruit to can preserves too though. There used to be wild blackberry vines in Old St. Peters... but I think all that was destroyed by flooding and roads being built. sigh. I really dug picking free berries! There is something to all the sweet fruit you get from the simple work of reaching and picking!

So, it is almost time for me to make real the visions of my own garden, not just a Victory garden but a Freedom Garden... A place I can grow in my own organic style. Of course, we are waiting until we move... they won't allow a veggie garden in this subdivision... not that the deer or rabbits care (they'll eat any flowers or plants I put in!) Of course, once I learned about the Earth Box my interest in that is huge. Easier and more yield than traditional gardening.

In the meantime, I have been getting excited about the upcoming tomato "harvest"... I already have regular ripe cherry tomatoes, but I am growing pink heirlooms too. I have grandiose plans to put up the tomatoes and my special spaghetti sauce. Now I am thinking I would love to put up my own salsa too. I am thinking perhaps I should head over to the local farm or farmers market and pick up tomatoes for canning... so I can put up my own sauces really. We ate a fabulous tomato alfredo tonight that moved me into thinking perhaps I can put that up as well.

I know peaches are in season right now... but Chris doesn't care for them. Caitlyn would eat them canned in lite syrup if I put them up. I may as well look into it for all the money I spend on them at the supermarket!

I will keep you posted... in the meantime check out the new links I put up about farming!

No Chris NOOOOOOO

After not sleeping well last night... the baby was fussy ALL day... runny nose and fussy.
I finally got him to sleep for the night while Chris was getting ready to go to the gig tonight. So I am taking a lovey picture of him cause he is sooo cute and Chris jokes around with that face! ...like he would rattle the crib!

It really is a cartoon...

Still...so very cute!

Another Saturday Morning

Really... just hanging around...

How cool is this...

Matthan just shows up with this act. Too Funny!

Settled into School

Well... the kids are just starting school and we are trying to get everything in it's place and settled into routine. This is all new to me and a bit crazy... but I believe the kids will be best off schooled here at home. Caity will soar with the virtual program, my little visual learner.

Matthan had his first day today... without schoolbooks! We really just did about an hour of math worksheets downloaded and printed off the school website. So in the future if we are missing a textbook/worksheet book, we can simply print the page of the day. Very cool.

His books actually arrived after dinner tonight... after looking at it all I am wondering how we will get to all every day. So I have also been trying to figure out how to work the website, what school supplies are still needed. I have desks for both kids, one with computer, one without (there is a second computer coming!) Caitlyn does not start until next Monday (her books are not here yet)

I think my biggest success of today was installing a wireless networking card into the pc and linking it to the router without having to call my younger brother to tell me how (I really just followed the instructions!) But still, very cool. Okay... Josh did tell me yesterday which pc card to buy and tried to tell me over the phone (my eyes actually glazed over) how to install it. Thank you Jesus that it came with install instructions!

It is late, tomorrow is a big school day for me and Matthan. Westley will probably wake me two more times tonight... so I am headed off to sleep!

Various Food Faces

Hey where did that yummy corn puff go??

Caitlyn with a red elastic plastic balloon popped on her nose

Matthan with chocolate milk moustache

MMMMMMMM ... a plum

Sweeeeet!

Cereal and sweet potatoes

Oh, it's cereal and butternut squash!

This has been the week of food... Westley is eating cereal and fruit/veggies twice a day. He LOVES his peas... as you can see in the video. He also likes butternut squash, sweet potatoes and pears, not necessarily in that order. Matthan still loves chocolate milk... Caitlyn loves all food... but I did not photograph her eating this week (your gain really).

I must say the plum was a hilarious surprise. I was eating one and Westley was watching... loudly watching... he kept fussing until I finally let him have a taste... that was it... he grabbed it and gummed it to pieces. Very funny to see a plum with all the juice removed! This boy likes to eat what we eat already.

All week Chris has been recovering from an unplanned surgical procedure to remove a subcutaneous blood clot. He lifted something incorrectly Saturday night... ouch. After resting on Sunday we went to the doctor for treatment on Monday. A bit of cauterizing and 4 stitches later, very painful recovery. He is still not back to work... we will see on Tuesday if he can make the drive. Yes, this is the first anyone has heard of it, we did not tell anyone except to call him in sick at work, please don't be offended.

It has been a quiet but busy week at home for Chris to recover. It makes me realize how crucial his help is every day to get things moving in morning and winding down in the evenings. We had two showings on the house, where I had to get him up and out of the house for an hour or so each time. First showings in 14 days too. Wild. It is such a poor market for selling right now... we just keep praying God's will over it all.

Enjoy the pics... we enjoy taking them.

Laughing Boy

Miscellaneous Weekend

Scary 70's Wild & Crazy Guy!Magnolia Tree - Surprise Blossom on top

Aren't I handsome!

I am very Happy!

What? I like to sit up in the crib!

This was a quiet weekend. I am going to bed. Cheers. Enjoy the wacky photos!

Eat, Eat, Eat!

Sir Westley has been eating cereal for a few days now. First just evenings and then a little in the mornings as well. Two days ago I put some pears in with the cereal (BIG Hit!). So tonight he gets some cereal with pears, he eats it... okay. A bit later we are still eating and he decides to fuss a bunch... so I jokingly grab the sweet potatoes, telling Chris not to put on a bib because he will probably only take one bite and be done... HA! The little prince ate half a jar and only stopped eating them to nurse. And he was not wearing any! Like Father like son on those sweet potatoes! Matthan loved them as well, though he no longer requires them to be pureed :). Sir Westley should sleep like a champ tonight!

On a bigger blessing note... last night he went to bed at 7ish, woke up at 10:30 to nurse and then slept until his 5:30am feeding! He did awaken around 2:30 but cheerfully rolled around in the dark without crying until he fell back asleep. What a relief to almost sleep through the night. We are hoping to get a repeat performance tonight! We are on our way to restful nights.

Caitlyn makes Westley laugh (too)!

Matthan and ALL the playdough colors

Grandma & Grandpa with Westley!

June 15th

This is Westley's first LAUGH caught on tape!

June 8, 2008 15 weeks

In case you need more Video...!

Now that I know how to post video... watch out! Here are some of the cutest clips yet...

Pics of Kiddos PLUS VIDEO of Westley laughing!

(Tracie) Jacob, Matthan & Isaiah

Matthan, Kate, Jacob & Tracie
Caitlyn & Horse that may bite
(& complete stranger child)

that's a duck, flamingo & black swan (no relation)

Matthan & Caitlyn petting new baby donkey

Caitlyn & Kate (not paying attention -
Does this really ever happen when there is a camera out or pointed at them? :) )

Here is Westley pulling Matthan's hair
and being quite pleased with himself!
Matthan is forever trying to get his pic on the blog... holding Westley and being silly gets it done every time!

"Take a picture of that cabin and send it to Grandpa!" -Matthan

We went to Grant's Farm today with Tracie & the kids. It was fabulous weather and fun for all. As of Sunday they switch to a Weekends only schedule until next year. Bummer that most of my shots are too blurry... moving tram anyone?! Anyway... Matthan was directing the camera work for a bit and I took several silly shots he wanted Grandpa to see. I left out the picture of the vivid blue tshirt the complete stranger in front of us was wearing on the tram and the wagons and "shooter thingys" (canons). Perhaps you will get a kick out of the video of Westley...